Quick-acting dust-cap for inflating valve-stems



W. L. RiCHARDS. QUICK ACTING BUST CAP FOR INFLATING VALVE STEMS.

APPLICATION FILED AU G.2. I919.

jlflyggpzgrm Patented Apr. 2G 132% 14/ L. 2? 210% mi 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINDSOR L. RICHARDS, OE PORTLAND, OREGON.

QUICK-ACTING- DUST-CAP FOB INFLATING VALVE-STEMS.

Application filed August 2.

To all whom it may concern-.-

lie it known that I, .Vrxnson L. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick-Acting Dust-Caps for Infiating Valve-Stems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved quick detachable dust proof cap for inflating valves of pneumatic tires of wheels, and the invention aims to provide a device of this kind having means carried by and roclrable in the cap, whereby the cap may be quickly attached and detached from the inflating valve stem.

The invention further aims to provide attaching means for the cap, in combination with latching means for the attaching means, to hold the attaching means from being moved through the medium of the vibration of the wheel, thereby preventing accidental disconnection of the cap.

While the design and construction at pres ent illustrated and set forth is deemed preferable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for connnercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided. they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

.of the dust proof cap, and also disclosing the attaching means, and the locking means for the attaching means.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on. line 3--3 of Fig. 2, showing the ring as having been moved with its diametrically opposite threads in engagement with the corresponding threads of the stem, so as to securely connect the cap to the stem, and also showing the spring detent of the ring, for holding the ring in such position.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 314,996.

Fig. 4: discloses detail views of parts of the cap, showing how the cap is constructed, so as to assemble the ring in the cap in the manner illustrated.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the washer having spring tongues.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the cap, showing the diametrically opposite threads of the cap and the diametrically opposite threads of the ring partially out of registration.

Referring more especially to the drawings, l designates the felly of the wheel, and 2 a portion of the casing of the inflating valve, and 3 the inflating valve stem, which is provided with the usual check valve for controlling the inflation and deflation of the tire. This valve stem' upon diametrically opposite portions throughout its length is provided with diametrically opposite threads 4. A dust cap 5 is provided and is designed to telescope the stem, to prevent dust entering the inflating valve stem, which will prevent proper manipulation of the check valve. This cap is provided with an enlarged end 6,. on the interior of which diametrically opposite seg nental threads 7 are formed.

Also, the interior of the enlarged end is provided with an annular recess 8, which receives the ring 9. The inner circumference of the ring .9 is provided with seg mental diametrically opposite threads 10, which, when the ring is rotated or rocked in one direction, cooperate with the diametrically opposite segmental threads of the stem, to attach the cap securely to the stem, and when moved in the opposite direction they are out of registration with the diametrically opposite segmental threads of the stem, so that the cap may be easily removed or detached. The enlargement of the cap at diametrically opposite portions and adjacent the annular recess is provided with diametrically opposite slots 11, through which the stems 12 of the thumb pieces 13 extend. The stems of the thumb pieces are securely connected to the ring in any suitable manner, and by applying thumb pressure upon the thumb pieces in one direction or the other, the ring may be rocked or partially rotated, for attaching and detaching the cap, the ends of the slots acting as abutments for the stems of the thumb pieces, to limit the ring in its movement in one direction or the other. The ring on one edge is provided with a depression or recess 14 to receive a spring 15. One wall of the recess of the enlargement of the cap is provided with a spherical countersink 16, which is engaged by a ball or spherical detent 17 with which the coil spring cooperates to hold the detent in engagement with the countersink, to hold the diametrically opposite threads of the ring in engagement with the diametrically opposite threads of the stem of the inflating valve, hence latching the cap on the stem, and preventing vibrations of the wheel from jarring the ring in such wise as to disconnect its diametrically opposite threads from engagement with the threads of the stem.

The marginal edge of the enlargement of the cap is provided with diametrically opposite notches 18, which are engaged by the diametrically opposite spring tongues 19 of the washer 2-0, which is interposed between the marginal circular edge of the enlargement of the cap and a collar of the inflating valve stem, to prevent unscrewing of the cap, when once applied.

Inorder to form the annular recess in the enlargement thereby enabling the ring to be positioned therein, the interior wall of the enlargement reamed out, thereby reducing or making the wall of the annular recess thinner than the wall of the major part of the enlargement, after which a ring section 21 (the thickness of the wall of which corresponds to the thickness of the major part of the wall of the enlargement) is soldered, brazed or otherwise suitably connected to the thinner wall of the enlargement as at 22, so as to close the annular recess, in which the ring is mounted, that is closed to such an extent as to retain the ring in place, when the thumb pieces have not as yet been connected to the ring.

A dust proof cap for stems of inflating valves for pneumatic tires of wheels, when constructed as shown and described and ap plied to the stem of the inflating valve, will prevent dust and other foreign matter from entering the valve stem. Furthermore, by applying pressure upon the thumb pieces in one direction, the ring may be easily and quickly moved, so as to disconnect its diametrically opposite threads from the corresponding threads of the stem, allowing the cap to be easily and quickly removed. When the ring is so moved, the cap may be very quickly lifted ofl the stem. A reverse movement of the ring will easily and quickly cause the threads of the ring to cooperatively engage with the corresponding threads of the stem and lock the latch or cap securely to the stem, the detent acting to hold the ring in such moved position, while the tongues of the washer will prevent retrograde movement of the cap.

It will be noted that when the ring 9 is rotated or adjusted so that its diametrically opposite threads 10 will be at right angles to the threads 7 on the cap member, the cap member may be screwed on to the inflating valve stem. This may be accomplished by engaging the thumb and lorefinger w' h the thumb pieces 13, thereby rotating the ring and owing to the shanks or stems 12 of the thumb pieces engaging certain ends of the diametrically opposite slots 11, the cap member will be screwed on to the inflating valve stem. However, the ring 9 may be adjusted so that its threads 10 may register with the threads on the cap member, after which the cap member be disposed so that the threads 7 and 10 are at right angles to the blank faces of the inflating valve stem, then the cap member may be telescoped over the stem and positioned but a very short distance from the washer 20. In this way the cap member is telescoped upon the stem for the greater portion of its length very quickly. l Vhen the cap member 'is disposed with one end but a short distance from the washer 20 the ring may be moved so as to dispose the threads 10 at right angles to the threads '7 and then by grasping the thumb pieces 13 as previously stated, the cap member may be screwed the remainder of its way on the stem, so that its end may closely engage the washer 20. By this use of the quick acting dust cap, the valve stem may be screwed home tightly in engagement with the washer 20. It is not the aim to always screw the cap member on to the valve stem in the manner previously described, for the reason that it is the aim of the invention to apply the 3211) member very quicklyand this is accomplished by moving the ring. in a position relative to the enlarged end or" the cap member so that its diametrically opposite threads will be .disposed in alinement with the threads 7. The cap member may be easily and quickly applied by permitting the thread to register with the opposite blank spaces of the inflated valve stem, in which case the cap member may be slipped telescopically over the stem.

The invention having been set fortlnwhat is claimed as new and useful is:

1. The combination with an inflating valve stem provided with diametrically 0pposite segmental threads extending longitudinally of the stem, or" a dust proof cap fitting the stem and provided with a ring swivelly mounted on the interior thereof,

said ring having diametri ally opposite seg mental threads to co aerate with the threads of the stem when moved in one direction to hold the cap on the stem and when moved in the opposite direction are out of registration with the threads of tie stem to permit of the quick removal of h cap, and means carried by the ring and ngaging through the wal of the cap, for actuating the ring, whereby the threads of the ring may be used in connection with the threads of the cap member for crewing the cap member on the stem.

2. The combination with an inflating valve stem provided with diametrically opposite segmental threads extending longitudinally of tie stem, of a cap fitting the stem, a ring rock-ably mounted on the interior of the cap and having diametrically opposite segmental threads to cooperate with the threads 01: the stem, when the ring is moved in one direction and to assume po sitions out of registration with the threads of the stem when moved in the opposite direction, means extending through the wall of the cap and connected to the ring, and means for latching the ring to hold its segmental threads in cooperation with the threads of the stem, thereby preventing vibrations from moving the ring.

The combination with an inflating valve stem-provided with diametrically opposite segmental threads extending longi tudinally of the stem, of a cap fitting the stem, a ring rockably mounted on the interior of the cap and h ving diametrically opposite segmental threads to cooperate with the threads of the stem, when the ring is moved in one direction. and to assume positions out of registration with the threads of the stem when moved in the opposite direction, means extending through the wall of the cap and connected to the ring, and means for latching the ring to hold its segmental threads in cooperation with the threads of the stem, thereby preventing vibrations from moving the ring, one end of the cap having diametrically opposite shoulders and means interposed between the shoulder end of the cap andthe casing of the valve and provided with spring tongues to engage said shoulders to prevent retrograde movement of the cap.

4 The combination with an inflating valve stem provided with diametrically op petite segmental threads extending longitudinally of the stem, of cap fitting the stei, a ring rockably mounted on the interior of the cap and having diametrically opposite segmental threads to cooperate with the threads of the stem, when the ring is moved in one direction and to assume positions out of registration with the threads of the stem when moved in the opposite direction, means extending through the wall of the cap and connected to the ring, and a spring detent carried by the ring, the wall of the cap having a countersink to be engaged by the detent to latch the ring and hold its diametrically opposite threads in engagement with the corresponding threads oi? the stem, to prevent the vibrations of the wheel from loosening the ring.

5. T he combination with a stern of an in" flating valve of a pneumatic tire of a wheel having diametrically opposite threads extending longitudinally of the stem, of a cap fitting the stem, and provided with an annular recess in its wall, a ring mounted in said annular recess and provided with diametrically opposite segmental threads to cooperate with and engage the threads of the stem, when the ring is moved in one direction, and to disengage the threads of the stem when moved in the opposite direction, diametrically opposite portions of the wall of the annular recess having segmental slots, thumb pieces having shanks extending through the slots and connected to the ring, the. wall of the annular recess having a spherical countersink, said ring carrying a spring detent to engage said countersink to hold the ring, when its diametrically op posite threads are in cooperation with the threads oi the stem, thereby preventing the vibrations of the wheel from jarring the ring in such wise as to disconnect its threads from the threads of the stem.

6. The combination with a stem of an inflating valve of a pneumatic tire of a wheel having diametrically opposite threads extending longitudinally of the stem, of a cap fitting the stem. and provided with an annular recess in its wa-li, a ri' g mounted in said annular recess and provided with diametrically opposite segmental threads to cooperate with and engage the threads of the stem, when the ring is moved in one direction, and to disengage the threads of the stem when moved in the opposite direction, diametrically opposite portions of the wall of the annular recess having segmental slots, thumb pieces having shanks extending through the slots and connected to the ring, the wall of the annular recess having a spherical countersink, said ring carrying a spring detent to engage said countersink to hold the ring, when its diametrically opposite threads are in cooperation with the threads of the stem, thereby preventing the vibrations of the wheel from jarring the ring in such wise as to disconnect its threads from the threads of the stem, one end of the cap having diametrically opposite shoulders, a washer interposed between the shoulder end oi the cap and the valve casing provided with diametrically opposite spring tongues to engage the shoulders, to prevent retrograde movement of the cap.

In testimony whereof I hereunto athx my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WINDSOR L. RICHARDS.

JULIA BUOZI-IOWSKI. 

